WEBVTT
DECADE A MILWAUKEE-AREA POLICE
, OFFICER IS CHARGED FOR THE
UNLAWFUL SHOOTING OF A MAN.
PATRICK: CHRISTINA PALLADINO IS
LIVE AT BROWN DEER POLICE
HEADQUARTERS.
CHRISTINA, THE OFFICER HAS BEEN
PUT ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE
LEAVE.
>> 27-YEAR-OLD OFFICER DEVON
KRAEMER IS FACING SEVERAL
CRIMINAL CHARGES INCLUDING A
FELONY FOR SHOOTING A
26-YEAR-OLD MAN AFTER AN
ARGUMENT ON A COUNTY BUS.
SHE'S BEEN WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HERE FOR FIVE YEARS.
IN A RARE MOVE, THE MILWAUKEE
COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE CHARGED A BROWN DEE
POLICE OFFICER FOR SHOOTING A
MAN IN THE BAC
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED BACK IN
MARCH WHEN 26-YEAR-OLD MANUEL
BURNLEY ARGUED WITH A BUS DRIVER
AFTER NOT HAVING AN UPDATED BUS
PASS
>> TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL ON TH
GROUND, FACE DOWN, AND HAVE AN
OFFICER STAND OVER HIM AND SHOOT
HIM IN THE BACK, THAT'S SOMEWHAT
UNPRECEDENTED.
>> SAFRAN SAYS HIS CLIENT STILL
HAS THE BULLET LODGED IN HIS
BODY.
PART OF HIS LUNG HAD TO BE
REMOVED AND HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE
, TO RETURN TO WORK BUT HE'S
, RELIEVED WITH THIS DECISION.
>> HE BELIEVES THAT THERE'S SOME
ACCOUNTABILITY AND HE REALIZES
THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS IN THESE
KINDS OF CASES HAVE NOT RECEIVED
THAT KIND OF JUSTICE AND THAT
KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT,
OFFICER KRAEMER AND HER PARTNER
STRUGGLED WITH BURNLEY TO THE
GROUND.
QUOTE SHE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN
"SHE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN CONTROL
OF BURNLEY'S LEFT ARM AND SHE
DREW HER FIREARM AND PRESSED IT
AGAINST BURNLEY'S BACK."
SAFRAN SAYS AFTER BURNLEY WAS
SHOT, THE MALE OFFICER YELLED A
RACIAL SLUR.
>> WHEN HE ASKED THE OFFICERS
WHAT HAPPENED, THE OFFICER IN
HIS WORDS, MY CLIENTS WORDS
WE
, SHOT YOU AND USED THE N-WORD.
>> BURNLEY WAS NEVER ARMED.
HE WILL NOT BE FACING ANY
CRIMINAL CHARGES.
IT TOOK THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE SEVEN MONTHS TO ISSUE
THESE CHARGES, SAFRAN SAYS
THAT'S TOO LONG.
PATRICK: BROWN DEER'S POLICE
CHIEF RELEASED A STATEMENT
SAYING, "AS WITH ANY OFFICER
INVOLVED SHOOTING, THE BROWN
DEER POLICE DEPARTMENT
RECOGNIZED THAT CRIMINAL CHARGES
WERE ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY.

Brown Deer police officer charged with shooting man

Devon Kraemer charged with aggravated battery

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Updated: 3:45 PM CDT Oct 21, 2016

MILWAUKEE —

A Brown Deer police officer has been charged with shooting a man following an argument on a bus in March.A Brown Deer police officer has been charged with shooting a man following an argument on a bus in March.

Devon Kraemer, 27, was charged Friday with aggravated battery, use of a dangerous weapon. She made her first court appearance Monday.

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The incident began March 14 when Manuel Burnley, 26, got onto a Milwaukee County bus in Brown Deer and didn’t have the correct bus card to use since the county had just changed to a new system.

He got into an argument with the bus driver, who pulled the bus over when she saw two police squad cars in a parking lot.

According to the criminal complaint, Kraemer and Officer Michael Leeman responded to her.

After a confrontation on the bus, the officers removed Burnley from the bus.

The complaint said Burnley physically resisted being handcuffed, and all three of them fell to the ground.

Kraemer told Milwaukee police that Burnley was struggling with her, and she was unable to gain control of his left arm, which was pinned beneath him. She withdrew her weapon and fired once, hitting Burnley in the back, the criminal complaint said.

The complaint said Kraemer said she shot Burnley because she feared for her safety and that of her partner’s.

Burnley suffered partial loss of a lung, and the bullet is still lodged in his body.

Defense attorney Jonathan Safran said Friday that it’s been a long seven months for his client as he’s waited for this decision.

"It has been disturbing, and I have certainly notified the District Attorney’s Office as I’ve been in contact with them over these many months that this length of time is too long. Victims and victims’ families should not have to wait for four, five, six, seven months or longer for charging decisions to be made," Safran said.

Safran said this is the first time in about 10 years that a Milwaukee-area police officer has been charged for an unlawful shooting.

"As with any officer-involved shooting, the Brown Deer Police Department recognized that criminal charges were always a possibility," Brown Deer Police Chief Michael Kass said in a statement. "We finally understand and accept the need for this high level of scrutiny with the criminal justice system."

Burnley was never armed and will not face any criminal charges.

Kraemer remains free on a signature bond and is scheduled to be back in court next month. If convicted she could face up to 20 years in prison.